Any company undergoing a third party British Retail Consortium audit from 1st July onwards will be assessed against the latest updates to the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, Issue 7. If you haven’t had the chance to read the new version of the publication, we recommend that you do so soon, as there are several changes which could affect the way that your production facility operates.
New section on product authenticity, claims and chain of custody
The most significant changes to the BRC Standard include a brand new section entitled ‘Product authenticity, claims and chain of custody.’ Unsurprisingly this has been introduced following the ‘horsegate’ scandal and various reports of other types of food fraud and adulteration. In addition to the requirement to demonstrate authenticity, suppliers are also required to be vigilant and have measures in place to guard against deliberate attack – an element covered in our new TACCP course.
The changes don’t just concern the raw ingredients and food/drink themselves. There is also a new clause which aims to reduce product recalls on account of incorrect labelling; as well as an increased emphasis on root cause analysis in the context of corrective actions. It is no longer enough to simply fix the problem – suppliers also need to drill down to the reasons why an event occurred.
Verner Wheelock has done most of the hard work for you
Identifying all the changes between BRC Issue 6 and BRC Issue 7 can be a laborious process, so several companies are opting to attend our BRC Issue 7 Update course. Led by trainer Peter Clarke, the one-day course addresses the new elements in BRC Issue 7 section by section. Peter encourages questions and discussion throughout and uses examples to explain how the changes are likely to affect your company, as well as offering practical solutions for compliance. Three practical workshop sessions are also part of the programme.
Managing Director, Alison Wheelock, says “The aim of the course is to help our customers prepare for audits against BRC Issue 7. The documentation relating to the Standard is considerable and our course aims to summarise the changes and promote discussion and sharing of ideas. After the day’s training delegates will be more aware of how the new clauses will impact on their own companies, and will be able to start formulating plans on how to comply with the latest Standard.”
The new additions to the Standard include a greater focus on traceability and authenticity, new requirements relating to High Risk/High Care areas, new rules regarding product labelling and changeovers, factored goods, modular approach grading, earned recognition and audit style.
As well as running this specialist update course Verner Wheelock has reviewed all its other courses to ensure that they are in line with BRC Issue 7.
Book your place today
Book your place todayBook your place on our BRCGS courses or call 01756 700802 and speak to one of the team. Alternatively, ask for a quote for an in-house course at your own premises.